Beautifully
by JayBecks
Summary: Janto.Various Song fics.Chap 1-Jack has to let Gwen down easily, he likes someone else. Gwen tries to find out who.


Gwen winced as the damp tissue was pressed against the cut on her forehead

"Y'know, catching weevils is always a lot easier when you try not to get yourself killed… Just a heads up." Jack smiled at her "We'll get Owen to check that cut out in the morning. A month in and you're already almost killing yourself like the rest of us. Now, you don't feel sleepy at all?"

"No, Jack."

"Loss or blurring of vision?"

"None." She smiled

"Right, then I prescribe a takeaway and some sleep." He stood and placed the wipes and bandages back into one of Owen's unorganised drawers "I would get Ianto down here to sort him out, but I think Owen would kill me." He laughed, turning to look at her face; she stood with deep set frown, still holding a hand to her head "What?"

She shook her head "…Nothing."

"You can go, I'll finish up here."

She went to speak, but he'd already turned his back to her "…Night Jack."

"Night Gwen."

_Every time he goes, she dies  
Every time she comes; she cries_

He was her long, bright future  
In the middle of a wrong, dark road  


"Morning Jack."

"Gwen." He nodded, beaming at her from the head of the table "Come on, Ianto's bought in the coffee already."

Settling in her chair, she smiled up at Jack; they were the first ones in. Ianto was downstairs sorting through the kitchen until the others arrived, Owen was probably hungover and unlikely to make it in till around midday and Tosh was busy dropping her cat off with a friend before Torchwood's trip to London.

Jacks fingers drummed against the table and he stared absentmindedly through Gwen "So, how's Rhys?"

She looked at him, hearing her heart pounding in her ears; had he just asked her for the sake of asking, or was he truly interested. Maybe he wanted things to be wrong with her and Rhys, perhaps he felt the same about her.

"Gwen?" She was jolted from her thoughts as Jack laid a hand on top of hers "You okay?"

_He loved her, but he wasn't too sure  
If he could return the love she showed  
When she said, my love extends  
Beyond the realm of being friends  
_

"What?" Jack frowned at her

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything; I was obviously getting my signals crossed. I'm sorry." She pushed her chair out and went to leave, but Jack caught her wrist

His eyes bored into the side of her head, she wouldn't turn to look at him "Gwen…sit down?" She didn't move "Please?"

He smiled as she sank back into the chair, her cheeks flaring a shade of cherry "Gwen, I think you're amazing, really I do. You're great at what you do and I love having you as a part of this team…" He came to a halt and frowned at her again, glancing up at Ianto as he entered the room and smiling at him. Here comes the 'but' she sighed.

_He kissed her head  
And quietly he said_

_It's not that you're not beautiful, you're just not beautiful to me  
She said, how beautiful do I have to be?  
When I look in the mirror, you're the only thing I see  
And I have loved you beautifully  
_

Gwen sat alone in her apartment, scanning over the photos of her and Rhys, asking herself why she didn't feel the same about either of them. The sound of the TV was just a white noise, all she could hear was the occasional sob rolling from her own mouth, startling her when she realised she was still crying. She didn't realise she'd fallen asleep across the sofa until the phone roused her; she let it run through to voicemail, not in the mood to talk to her mother or anyone else for that matter.

"Gwen? Gwen, are you home?" A familiar voice. Jack's voice. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. Please pick up if you're there? … I'm going for a drive down by the bay, maybe get some chips…We could talk. Just us…Well, let me know, alright? …Sorry."

Chewing on her lip, she let the receiver click off and the apartment fell silent for a moment, before she snatched the phone up again and dialled Jack's number.

_Well, ten thousand tears passed by  
But she never let him see her cry  
And he called up down one night  
He said, let's get in the car and just drive_

"So you've lived alone since you joined Torchwood?" She turned in her chair, warming her hands on her coffee cup

"Well, on and off partners, one night stands…but it gets lonely spending all that time on your own, night after night, year after year." He stared out of the windscreen, frowning at the sea that expanded in front of them

"I lived alone for a few years before I met Rhys… I just went clubbing with friends a lot more." She smiled

Jack hummed, taking a sip of coffee "It gets harder, the more time you spend alone though…"

"How about recently?"

"Recently what?" For the first time since stopping the car at the sea front, Jack looked at her

"Have you been lonely recently?"

A ghost of a smile rested on his lips "…Sometimes it's better."

She frowned, knowing she wasn't the cause of that smile "How many years have you been living in the hub?" He stared off into the sea again

"Enough."

They sat in silence for a while, the sea was louder than the radio, sitting just above a soft hum. A song Gwen recognised came on and she twisted the volume dial round, smiling at Jack and holding her hand out "Dance with me?"

_He talked a lot about loneliness  
But why, she didn't know  
And some song about Memphis  
Was playing on the radio  
She said, let's stop the car and slow dance  
Won't you just give me a chance?  
He took her hand  
And hoped she'd understand_

She tucked her head under his chin as they swayed from side to side.

"So, come on…"

"Come on what?"

"Tell me about her."

"Her who? I've lost you…what are we talking about now?"

"Oh come on Jack, you say you're lonely and then you get this smile on your face, this really goofy big smile that says this girl could be the one…so who is she?"

"He." Jack corrected

Gwen was silent for a moment, just letting Jacks movement take her "…he…who is he?"

"I'm not playing twenty questions with you, Gwen."

"Do I know him?"

"Gwen." A warning tone, telling her to cool down

"He must be pretty special then if you don't want to jinx it by telling me."

He hummed again, too exhausted to answer any more of her probing questions

_It's not that you're not beautiful, you're just not beautiful to me  
She said, how beautiful do I have to be?  
When I look in the mirror, you're the only thing I see  
And I have loved you beautifully_

"Ianto?" Jack hung his coat on the back of Tosh's chair "Ianto, we're back."

Ianto emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a tea towel; his sleeves were rolled up and his waistcoat was undone, something he always did when washing the cups "Have fun?"

"Oh yeah." Jack grinned

Gwen stared as Ianto uncharacteristically hit Jack on the arm and smiled with him, Jack put a hand on Ianto's back. Something she noticed Rhys did to her a lot; that was when it clicked.

Jack caught the look on her face, his eyebrows knitting together "You okay, Gwen?"

"I'm fine." She smiled, her eyes slightly watery "I…I have to go, Rhys'll be getting home soon. I have dinner to make…have fun." She looked at Jack knowingly

He smiled at her "Alright, we'll see you tomorrow…you sure you're okay?" He tried to put more into his words than he could convey

"I'm fine, really." Pulling on her coat and her bag, she made her way toward the door "See you. Bye Ianto."

Ianto looked between them "See you, Gwen."

_Well, she'll burn that bridge  
And build a house  
And swallow the smoke in her mouth  
She'll feel the burn  
And then make the choice  
To put the fire in her voice_

"Hey, where have you been?" Gwen allowed herself to get folded into Rhys' arms "What's happened? Something at work?"

"I'm alright, just tired. I didn't think it was this late, I would have picked up some food on the way home."

Rhys smiled at her "No need, I already did."

So maybe she didn't have Jack, but Rhys was here; ever doting, loving and loyal Rhys was there.

"You alright with Gwen now?" Ianto called out to the kitchen, Jack heard the rustling of packets and a thud as the fridge shut

"Mmm…Not sure…She'll be okay. She just got things a little mixed up." Jack fell back onto the sofa, leaning into his side and putting his head on his shoulder

Ianto's hand drifted up his side, gently brushing Jack's fringe from his forehead "And you?"

"I'm good." He took a sip of his beer and offered a sip to Ianto, who shook his head "I just feel exhausted…"

_It's not that you're not beautiful, you're just not beautiful to me  
She said, how beautiful do I have to be?  
When I look in the mirror, you're the only thing I see  
And I have loved you beautifully _


End file.
